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Healthy Eating: Eating Heart-Healthy Foods

Introduction

Heart disease is the number one killer
of both men and women in the United States. If you are worried about heart
disease, one of the most important things you can do is to start eating a
heart-healthy diet. Changing your diet can help stop or even reverse heart
disease.

At first, it may seem like there is a lot to learn. But
you don't have to make these changes all at once. Start with small steps. Over
time, making a number of small changes can add up to a big difference in your
heart health.

To have a heart-healthy diet:

Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and
other high-fiber foods.

Choose foods that are low in saturated fat and trans
fat.

Limit salt (sodium).

Stay at a healthy weight by balancing the calories you eat with your physical
activity.

Eat more foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as
fish.

Limit drinks and foods with
added sugar.

How to eat a heart-healthy diet

To have a heart-healthy diet:

Eat fruits and vegetables. Eat a variety of fruit and vegetable servings every day.
Dark green, deep orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables are especially
nutritious. Examples include spinach, carrots, peaches, and
berries.

Eat a variety of grain products every day. Include whole-grain foods that have lots of
fiber and nutrients. Examples of whole grains include
oats, whole wheat bread, and brown rice.

Eat fish at least 2 times each week. Oily fish, which contain omega-3 fatty
acids, are best for your heart. These fish include salmon, mackerel, lake
trout, herring, and sardines.

Limit saturated fat. To limit
saturated fat, try to choose the following foods:

Lean meats and meat alternatives like beans or
tofu

Fish, vegetables, beans, and nuts

Nonfat and
low-fat dairy products

Polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats,
like canola and olive oils, to replace saturated fats, such as butter

Read food labels and limit the amount of trans fat you eat. Trans fat raises the levels of LDL ("bad")
cholesterol and also lowers high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good")
cholesterol in the blood. Trans fat is found in many processed foods made with
shortening or with partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated vegetable oils. These
foods include cookies, crackers, chips, and many snack foods.

Choose healthy fats. Unsaturated fats, such
as olive, canola, corn, and sunflower oils, are part of a healthy diet. But all
fats are high in calories, so watch your serving sizes.

Limit sodium. For good health, less is best. This is especially important for people who are at risk for or already have high blood pressure. If you are African-American, have diabetes or chronic kidney disease, or are older than age 50, try to limit the amount of salt you eat to less than 1,500 mg a day. If none of those things describe you, try to limit sodium to 2,300 mg a day. Choose and prepare foods
with little or no salt. Watch for
hidden sodium in foods.

Eat only as many calories as you need to stay at a healthy weight. Learn
how much is a serving, and then check your portion sizes. Limit drinks with
added sugar. If you want to lose weight, increase
your activity level to burn more calories than you eat.

If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. Limit alcohol
intake to 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women. See a picture of
a standard drink.

Limit added sugar. Limit
drinks and foods with added sugar.

When you are eating away from
home, try to follow these heart-healthy diet tips.

You can get even more benefit from making diet changes if
you also get plenty of exercise and don't smoke.

Start with small changes

But you don't
have to be perfect, and you don't have to do it all at once. Make one or two
changes at a time. As soon as you are used to those, make another one or two
changes. Over time, making a number of small changes can add up and make a big
difference in your health.

Here are some ideas about how to get
started:

Choose whole-grain bread instead of white
bread.

Have a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar.

Try to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Add one or
two servings of fruits and vegetables to your day. Slowly add more servings
until you are eating at least 5 servings a day.

Switch from 2% or
whole milk to 1% or nonfat milk.

Instead of meat, have fish for
dinner. Brush it with olive oil, and broil or grill it.

Switch
from butter to a cholesterol-lowering soft spread. Use olive or canola oil for
cooking.

Expert Panel on Integrated Guidelines for Cardiovascular Health and Risk Reduction in Children and Adolescents (2011). Expert panel on integrated guidelines for cardiovascular health and risk reduction in children and adolescents: Summary report. Pediatrics, 128(Suppl 5): S213–S256.

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